Who is Ansel Adams?

Ansel Easton Adams was an American landscape photographer and environmentalist known for his black-and-white images of the American West. He helped found Group f/64, an association of photographers advocating “pure” photography which favoured sharp focus and the use of the full tonal range of a photograph. Adams was a key advisor in the founding and establishment of the photography department at the museum of modern art  in New York, an important landmark in securing photography’s institutional legitimacy. He helped to stage that department’s first photography exhibition, helped found the photography magazine aperture, and co-founded the centre for creative photography at the university of Arizona.

What is group F/64?

Group f/64 or f.64 was a group founded by seven American 20th-century San Francisco Bay Area photographers who shared a common photographic style characterized by sharply focused and carefully framed images seen through a particularly Western viewpoint

Ansel’s famous quotes

“Life is your art”. “An open, aware heart is your camera”. “A oneness with your world is your film”. “Your bright eyes and easy smile is your museum”.-A.A

Image analysis

This image is called The moon and the half dome.

The type of lighting used in this photo is natural daylight but Ansel Adams has edited it into black and white and there is a contrast between the shadows and highlights in this image. Ansel Adams made this image at 4:14 the afternoon of December 28, 1960 with a Hasselblad camera and 250mm Zeiss Sonnar lens. This photo catches peoples attention due to its clear and clean shot , you can see all the textures in the tall cliff and the patterns are almost highlighted. The quality and definition of the cracks and crevasses are what makes this image so unique.

The moon and the half dome is a testament to the artistic refinement and confidence that comes with age. Here, it shows his outlook on photography in its finest and purest light, where only the elements he wished to highlight are visible – just the moon, the rock face, and the artist’s intent.  Likewise, it is a testament to the energy and artistic vigor that Ansel was capable of in his later years – and to the enduring, timeless quality of Yosemite National Park’s natural beauty. This image remains an iconic reminder of Ansel’s gift to all who love nature, and to the art of photography. Ansel Adams uses the black and white process in such a way, that makes him able to make an appealing contrast between light and dark and highlights and shadows. This picture illustrates the beauty of the Half Dome under the moonlight. There are three aspects that make this picture stand out; the clear skies, the moonlight and the silhouette of the setting sun The clear skies help define the beautiful formation of the dome. It accentuates the sharp edges and curve of the cliff that give life to the picture. In addition, the shadow of the sun that starts to cover the precipitous cliff appears that it’s concealing the dome from the coldness of the night, while the gleaming moon starts to shed light. The black and white contrast gives softness and smooth comparison between the two.

Zone system

The Zone System created by Ansel Adams and Fred Archer over 80 years ago, is a technique that offers photographers a way to control exposure and capture the entire tonal scale in their photographs.

some of his photos

Image:

Technical

This photo looks like it most likely uses natural daylight for its source of lighting as the photo was taken quite far away, it also looks like it includes a good level of exposure as the image is well lit while still maintaining detail around the image. The contrast used around the image especially the sky help to enhance the image and bring out more detail, especially around the top of the mountain and the sky as it creates a dramatic effect while allowing for the detail of the jagged rocks to be viewable. This photo also looks like it uses a wide angle lens with a very small aperture to capture the wide area of the mountain while also keeping most things in frame sharp and in focus. The photo looks like it uses a long shutter speed in order to capture the right amount of light to ensure the photo is well exposed. The photo appears to have minimal grain as well as using various amounts of tones in the tonal range.

Visual

The photo uses a black and white colour scheme with various of tones being used throughout the image which can enhance the detail around some parts like the mountains rock texture or the snow and trees at the bottom of the mountain. We can also see that the image shows a lot of texture as I mentioned before, in areas like the left lower side of the mountain we can see that the jagged edges are easily viewable and identifiable or on the right side of the mountain at the cliff edge where we are able to see the cracks in the rocks and the trees in the distance. The main view point of the image is the half dome and Ansel Adams was able to make it the main view point of the image by using techniques like composition to make the half dome take up most of the image. We can also see that the sky also includes lots of detail as Ansel Adams used colour filters to help with the creation of this photo, by the sky using a dark tone it helps capture that horizon in the background from the bottom of the sky being a lighter shade to the top of the sky being a darker shade.

Contextual

The picture is named Monolith, The Face Of Half Dome and it was taken in Yosemite. This image has a lot of history as it wasn’t the first time Ansel Adams had taken a picture of this half dome. At the age 14 Ansel had visited this same spot on a family trip to Yosemite carrying his Brand-new Kodak Brownie Camera, He snapped several pictures of the Half Dome including one taken upside down on accident but it resulted into it being one of his favourite images of the Half Dome. A decade later he returned to this spot with his fiancée and three close friends where they climbed about more than 3500 feet above Yosemite Valley, Encountering this spot again they decided to set up the cameras and take photographs of the Face Of The Half Dome. He Experimented with a yellow filter at first but it didn’t feel quite as effective as he hoped so he swapped it with a dark red filter which darkened the sky and produced dark shadows and bright light which resulted into the image being the final one he decided to use for his piece named the Monolith, the Face Of Half Dome. It is one of his most famous images and an iconic depiction of one of the most unique spots in the American wilderness.

Conceptual

Ansel Adams took this image to show his passion for not only photography but wildlife. Ansel Adams has been to Yosemite ever since he was young and repeatedly came back by joining the Sierra Club and doing tour groups during summers. Nature or Yosemite in particular served as a place of healing for Ansel Adams who survived the deadly Spanish influenza in 1919 and dedicated himself to try and preserve the wildlife and nature of the Yosemite Valley.

What is it?

Exposure bracketing allows you to take 3 images at 3 different exposures which gives you the security of knowing that one of them will have captured the light in the best possible way.

It allows you to capture every detail in a scene. It helps you avoid overexposing or underexposing your photos. It gives you more options to choose from when you’re editing.

AEB

Many digital cameras, as well as a few drones, include an Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) option. AEB is very useful for capturing high contrast scenes for HDR. When AEB is selected, the camera automatically takes three or more shots, each at a different exposure.

AEB is like having an automatic version of exposure compensation that gives you a number of variations to choose from.

What is exposure compensation?

Exposure compensation basically helps you override automatic exposure adjustments your camera makes in situations with uneven light distribution, filters, non-standard processing, or under exposure or overexposure. It lets you take control of your image’s brightness by manually increasing or decreasing exposure.

The formula is as follows: exposure time in fractions of a second >=(equals) shutter angle in degrees / (over) 360 degrees x (times, as in >multiply by) the frame rate.

What are HDR photos?

HDR describes a type of photo that captures a dynamic range that can’t be achieved in a single photograph.

HDR (high dynamic range) helps you get great shots in high-contrast situations. The iPhone camera takes several photos in rapid succession at different exposures and blends them together to bring more highlight and shadow detail to your photos.

Exposure compensation

Exposure compensation is a feature that allows you to adjust the automatic exposure settings of your camera. This is especially useful in tricky lighting situations, like when there’s uneven light, when using filters, or when your photos are too dark or too bright. With exposure compensation, you can manually change the brightness of your images by either boosting or reducing the exposure.

Exposure bracketing

Exposure bracketing lets you snap three photos with varying exposure levels, ensuring that at least one of them will perfectly capture the light just right.

HDR photos

Dynamic range refers to the difference between the lightest and darkest areas in a picture. HDR, which stands for high dynamic range, is a term used for cameras or methods that allow you to capture a wider range of light than what standard dynamic range (SDR) cameras can pick up.

My attempt

HDR merged

Some more AEB photos:

HDR Merged

HDR Merged

Further experimentation

Using the “preview for SDR display mode” I experimented with editing and even adding some vignette.

This was the product but I then used the pre-set mode to add a “storm clouds” pre-set.

Final product

_{Landscape photography}

“Landscape photography” refers to getting photos that capture beauty in the outdoors, According to records, the earliest known evidence of a landscape photograph was taken between the years of 1826 and 1827. The first recorded landscape photo was by Nicephore Niepce.

Here are some examples I found online.

In the 18th – 19th century there was an up rise of landscape art this was prompted by the romantic movement, by being able to make the image/art as specific and as surreal as you desire was ideal for creating romantic pieces, these are the main three artists of it…

• J.M.W. Turner: Known for atmospheric paintings featuring dramatic skies.
• John Constable: Celebrated for his detailed, realistic landscape paintings of the English countryside.
• Caspar David Friedrich: A German painter famous for his allegorical landscapes.

Caspar David Friedrich

Romanticism originated in the late 17th century, around the end of the 18th century, and became popular in the early 19th century.

Photographers known for romanticism?

Julia Margaret Cameron – Known for soft-focus portraits and dreamy, emotional images.

Gustave Le Gray – Captured dramatic seascapes and landscapes with a painterly quality.

Henry Peach Robinson – Created staged, poetic photographs that told emotional stories.

Peter Henry Emerson – Focused on natural, atmospheric rural scenes with an artistic touch.

Painters known for romanticism?

European Romantic Painters:

1. Francisco Goya (1746–1828) – Spanish painter known for The Third of May 1808 and Saturn Devouring His Son.
2. J.M.W. Turner (1775–1851) – English landscape painter famous for his dramatic, light-filled works like The Fighting Temeraire and Rain, Steam and Speed.
3. Caspar David Friedrich (1774–1840) – German painter known for Wanderer above the Sea of Fog and The Abbey in the Oakwood.
4. Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863) – French painter famous for Liberty Leading the People and The Death of Sardanapalus.
5. Théodore Géricault (1791–1824) – French artist best known for The Raft of the Medusa.
6. John Constable (1776–1837) – English landscape painter known for The Hay Wain.
7. Ivan Aivazovsky (1817–1900) – Russian-Armenian painter celebrated for his seascapes, especially The Ninth Wave.

American Romantic Painter’s

1. Frederic Edwin Church (1826–1900) – American landscape painter known for Heart of the Andes.

2. Thomas Cole (1801–1848) – Founder of the Hudson River School, known for The Course of Empire series.

Thomas Cole – Five Kids A Farm And Dizzying Allegory

John Constable – Stonehenge

Francisco Goya – The Carnival

Théodore Géricault – Shipwreck

Romantic photography Fun facts…

1. In the 19th century, photographers like Julia Margaret Cameron used soft focus and dramatic lighting to create dreamy, emotional portraits.

2. Just like Romantic painters, early photographers captured dramatic landscapes, misty forests, and rugged coastlines to evoke deep emotions.

3. Some Romantic photographers staged their photos with costumes and props to create mythological or literary scenes.

4. Early cameras had long exposure times, which made moving water look silky and gave portraits an ethereal, ghostly quality.

5. Romantic photography often focused on themes of love, longing, and mystery, using soft lighting and blurred edges for a dreamlike effect.

6. Because of long exposure times, if a person moved slightly, they could appear ghostly or blurred—sometimes leading to eerie, unintentional effects and cause the effect of an accidental ghost to appear.

7. Many Romantic photographers took inspiration from Romantic painters like Caspar David Friedrich and J.M.W. Turner, mimicking their compositions and moods.

8. Romantic photographers loved capturing ancient ruins, castles, and abandoned places, symbolizing time, nostalgia, and the power of nature over man.

Who is Ansel Adams?

He was an American landscape photographer and environmentalist. He was common for his Black and White photos of the American west. He assisted the found Group f/64, an association of photographers advocating “pure” photography which included sharp focus and the use of the full tonal range of a photograph. He was born in 1902.

What Was His Childhood Like?

Adams was a hyperactive and sickly child with few friends. He wasn’t accepted into many schools due to bad behaviour, he was educated by private tutors and members of his family from the age of 12. Adams taught himself the piano, which would become his early passion.

Side Hobbies

He enjoyed hiking, camping and being a photographer. He also likes to improve his piano skills and musical expression.

What National Park Did He Visit That Inspired His Photography Career?

Lots of wildness surfaced in the great American photographer’s brilliant black-and-white prints and for most of his life, Yosemite National Park was Adams’ main source of inspiration.

How Did It Inspire His Photography Career?

His love of the natural landscape and eager to capture something of that overwhelming experience on film.

What Is The Sierra Club?

 A very powerful national organization that lobbied to create national parks and protect the environment from destructive development projects.

‘The sierra club’s mission is “To explore, have fun, and protect the wild places of the earth; To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and resources; To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment.

In 1934, Adams was elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the Sierra Club, a role he maintained for 37 years.

Sierra Club

In 1927 he became an assistant manager of these massive annual outings. He became a tour guide and the clubs national photographer

What Was He Also Involved In?

He was involved in the Sierra Club. He became the assistant manager and the official photographer, this is when his photography career took off properly.

He also made significant contributions such as a very powerful national organization that persuaded the government to create national parks and protect the environment from destructive development projects.

When Were His Photos First Used For Environmental Purposes?

His images were first used for environmental purposes in the 1930s. He was first inspired partly by the increasing attack into the Yosemite Valley of commercial development, including a pool hall, bowling alley, golf course, shops, and automobile traffic. He made the limited-edition book Sierra Nevada: The John Muir Trail in 1938, is a part of the Sierra Club’s efforts to secure the name of the Kings Canyon  as a national park. This book and his testimony before Congress played an important role in the success of that effort, and Congress made the Kings Canyon as a national park in 1940.

Presidential Medal

He got his medal for Adams working within the conservation, and his photographs of Yosemite were used to help secure the place for those lands as national parks.

He was later contracted with the United States Department of the Interior to make photographs of national parks. For his work and his persistent advocacy, which helped expand the National Park system, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980.

Visualisation

Visualisation is the theory of interpreting a scene and deciding on the final shot before pressing the shutter. Taking place within the ‘mind’s eye’, as Adams often said, visualisation involves assessing a subject and choosing the most important things to frame and highlight.

He used visualisation by how he wanted the print to look and used his own skills to create his final vision.

He shoots his photograph first with a yellow filter but he realises after shooting it wouldn’t express the mode he was looking for.

Zone system

The 11 zones in Ansel Adams’ structure were defined to produce the gradation of all the different tonal values you would see in a black and white print, with zone 5 being middle grey. Increasing the contrast means you will increase the drama.

Image Analysis

Technical

In Ansel Adams’ “Cathedrals Spires and Rocks”, the lighting is mostly natural daylight, most likely caught during a time of soft and delicate sunlight, such as early morning or late afternoon. The high contrast between the bright and glistening sunlit rocks and the deep shadows of the crevices is reflecting Adams’ mastery over tonal range, using the Zone System to accomplish precise exposure. The aperture is set for a deep depth of field, to make sure a sharp focus from the foreground rocks to the distant sky. Adams likely used a wide-angle lens, allowing him to capture the amazing landscape. The ISO is low, which means there is no visual noise contributing with the smooth tonal transitions, and the photograph’s fine details are done crisply. As the image is in black-and-white, the white balance is neutral, focusing on the tonal contrast rather than color accuracy, highlighting the texture and form of the rugged rocks and sky.

Visual

The visual elements in “Cathedrals Spires and Rocks” are completely dominated by lots of high contrast, with dark shadows surrounding the jagged rock formations and light and white highlights on the sunlit surfaces, creating a dramatic effect. The texture of the rocks is highly noticeable , giving the photograph a tactile, three-dimensional feel. The spires, sharp and angular, make up strong vertical lines, which dominate the composition, while the surrounding landscape, though equally detailed, serves to frame these towering forms. The space is carefully and delicately structured, with a very deep foreground and background, which adds depth and perspective. Adams’ is using the Rule of Thirds positions the spires slightly off-center, drawing the viewer’s gaze upward. The resulting composition is balanced , leading the eye naturally through the image and balancing the visual weight between light and shadow.

Contextual

“Cathedrals Spires and Rocks” can be seen within the broader historical context of the American environmental movement, which gained momentum in the early 20th century. As a supporter for wilderness preservation, Ansel Adams used his photographic work to try and promote the conservation of the American West, showcasing the beauty of natural landscapes. This photograph is showing a personal connection to nature and the natural landscapes. The colossal rock formations in the image aren’t just geological features but will represent the unspoiled wilderness that Adams wanted to protect from industrial encroachment. His work, including this photograph, played a crucial role in the establishment of national parks and the broader environmental movement, supporting the preservation of these natural wonders for future generations.

Conceptual

The concept behind “Cathedrals Spires and Rocks” is the admiration about it, drawing a parallel between the grander of the natural world and sacred spaces like cathedrals. The spires, reaching skyward, symbolize nature’s monumental and spiritual qualities, evoking a sense of the sublime, where the viewer feels both humbled and uplifted by the scale and beauty of the landscape. Adams captures not just a physical scene but also of the nature’s power, which is presenting the rocks and spires as sacred forms worthy of admiration. The photograph is an exploration of nature’s dominance, its capacity to inspire people , and the notion of wilderness as a place of deep, almost spiritual significance. This conceptual approach invites the world to reconsider their relationship with the natural world and recognize its importance beyond mere aesthetics.

Ansel Easton Adams was a American Landscape Photographer and environmentalist who was well known for his black and white images of the American west. He also helped found a photography group called F/64 which was an association of photographers who were advocating for ‘pure’ photography (photos that attempted to depict a scene or a subject in sharp focus and detail).

Childhood

Ansel Adams was an only child growing up and was born when his mother was nearly in her forty’s, with his relatively elderly parents, his family history and other factors, it all combined to create an environment which was Victorian and both socially and emotionally traditional. Due to his natural shyness, certain intensity of intelligence combined with his broken nose (which was caused by his face being smashed against a wall during the san Francisco earthquake) this caused Adams to have difficulties when trying to fit in at school. Later in life he was then diagnosed as hyperactive with the possibility of having dyslexia alongside that. After going in and out of various schools and getting tutored by his family he did manage to get a legit diploma from the Mrs Kate M Wilkins private school. He learned piano in his youth but unfortunately could not pursue it professionally due to not being cut out for it but when he discovered photography he quickly found a passion for it and dedicated all his time towards it.

Inspiration for Photography

The Yosemite National Park was Adams inspiration for his photography career, using the camera lens and looking through the Yosemite’s rock, trees, and rivers. All he could see was art and it sparked more inspiration and love for his photography hobby and work.

Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is an American environmental organization whose mission is to explore, enjoy and protect the wild places of earth. Ansel Adams in 1927 went out on the Sierra Clubs annual outing (known as the High Trip) which resulted into one of his most famous images named Monolith, The Face of Half Dome. This image would then make him well known and popular to the world of photographers. The year after he ended up becoming the Sierra Clubs official photographer. By 1930, Ansel Adams began to deploy his photography in the cause of wilderness preservation.

Ansel Adams in 1934 was elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club was seeking to create a national park in the Kings Canyon region of the Sierra Nevada and this was because people wanted to use the water to generate electricity which could destroy the nature around it and possibly pollute the canyon, so by creating a national park it prevents anyone from being able to use that land for industrial purposes. Ansel Adams all the way in California had to find a way to convince congressmen back in Washington to turn the canyon into a national park and he achieved this by carrying and showing his portfolio to the heads of the national park service to show them why they should make the canyon a national park. however the first time they tried to request it to be a national park they were told it couldn’t be approved. After hearing this information he created an impressive and limited edition book called the Sierra Nevada: The John Muir Trail. The book contained some of his best photos taken at the sierra club and this book ultimately ended up attracting President officials which then ended up into them finally making the canyon an approved national park by 1940.

Presidential Medal

Ansel Adams was a conservationist and the photos he took of Yosemite helped secure the designation of those lands as national parks, his work helped expand the national park system and his work was then later recognised by presidential officials who ended up awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980.

Ansel Adams Visualisation

The meaning of Visualisation is “the concept of interpreting a scene and deciding on the final shot before pressing the shutter”. Ansel Adams referred to this as Taking place within the minds eye, Adams with his photography made sure that he assessed his subject and chose the most important attributes to highlight and keep or show in the frame of the photo. To capture the detail and the effects he was looking for in his images he would often resort to using camera filters knowing that it would allow him to adjust the dark or lightness of the sky or cliffs that surrounded him. These filters helped Ansel Adams achieve the dramatic effect he was seeking in his images.

Ansel Adams Zone System

Ansel Adams used his own Zone system in order to represent the gradation of all the different tonal values you would see in black and white images. With Zone 0 being pure black, Zone 5 being middle grey and Zone 10 being pure white. The Zone system would help control the exposure of the image and how it was developed in order to achieve the best results of the photo you have taken.